


A Snake Tail

by Abby_Ebon



Series: Odd Bits [1]
Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-10
Updated: 2012-07-10
Packaged: 2017-11-09 14:04:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/456303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_Ebon/pseuds/Abby_Ebon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crotalus Atrox Murinus; wealthy, healthy, and a nagi mutant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Snake Tail

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be OC/Logan(Wolverine)/Remy(Gambit). It never worked out that way, though.

Crotalus Atrox was a nervous wreck. Her husband of five years was dead by her own hands- well nails- but that wasn't the point! Cro hadn't meant to kill him, in fact she was thinking of having his children; she was in her thirties now after all. Of course, there was no telling how long her mutation would let her live.

Cro had thought thirty years would have been enough time for her body to mutate fully into its powers, but no. Apparently, thirty years was just enough time to get used to 'seeing' things though living heat and smell, and the occasional taste, with a flick of her forked tongue.

Maybe poisonous nails were her 'mid life crises'- but weren't those supposed to happen in her fifties?

Maybe having the eight foot long, black and silver tail of a diamondback rattler and a twenty-eight inch waist tapering down to her tail tip, about the size of a child's fist, should have been a clue.

Or the five rings of alternating black and white that ran through the bottom of her shoulder blade long hair, stopping just short of the odd beads which she had found out constituted for her rattle. Go figure there. Or perhaps even the elongated canines.

Maybe being so severely mutated actually cut her lifespan instead of elongating it as some suspected. It wouldn't surprise her and she might actually be grateful for it considering her appearance- and the disgusted looks it usually gained.

Lord knew a few politicians would love it that way- and a few of her families more notorious enemies.

Blinking tears from her oddly serpentine golden hazel green eyes, her silted black pupils at their thinnest. The muddy black beads at the tips of her hair rattled soothingly and Cro allowed herself to remember what exactly had her fleeing her home.

Her only home, of more than thirty years at nearly fifty miles an hour, at night, on a rain slicked road, in a modified convertible that was her parent's last gift to her...

**-Two Hours Ago-**

_Donovan Murinus who had gone by the alias of Top Gun just five years ago sat- well sprawled would be the more appropriate word as Donovan simply did not sit. He lounged, he fiddled, and he straddled the seat of the chair his lovely wife Cro was lounging in occasionally- but he never simply sat._

_In any case Donovan, whatever he was doing, he was beautiful at it and after five years of marriage he still took Cro's breath away. A fact he took to reminding her of as much as possible whenever appropriate- or not so appropriate at times. In which case he was often sworn to secrecy but Cro would be reminded with a simple glance or word._

_Donovan was also a mutant but not as effected by his mutation as his beloved, in fact his mutation was simple. With a flick of the wrist he could propel objects like they were bullets from 300 feet and always hit a target. Whither or not they were the right target was something left to aim and luck._

_His beloved for example, had knifed him the stomach when he had attempted to assassinate her- before she had become his beloved mind you. He was never an abusive lover, he had played both sides of the field extensively, but he was never abusive. Cro was his treasure._

_Now, however, he only had eyes for her and he was quite happy with that. To his eyes she was perfect, strikingly handsome, aesthetically pleasing -the serpent tail was just an intriguing bonus._

_Donovan, with his snipers senses knew exactly when his love had strode- erm slithered- in the room, though the way she moved was more of an exotic dance then a snake's slither. Donovan noted the green tint to her normally alabaster skin and a frown played on his lips as he watched her move to lean against him._

_"Still feeling ill love?" Donovan asked gently knowing that if his tone was the slightest bit harsh she wouldn't hesitate to snap at him. That made her elongated canines all the more pronounced which, quite frankly, frightened him._

_"Yes… I don't know what it is. On and off for weeks now, I've never been sick like this before Donovan. What if something is really the matter?" Cro asked quietly, sounding not at all snappish and making him feel guilty for even thinking of her as such- even if she would never know he had thought such a thing._

_An idea blossomed in his head and he was frightened by it- more so then of his wife's teeth. What if Cro was pregnant? True they always used protection as he feared how her half human and half serpentine form would react to carrying a child._

_Holding her tightly to him he remembered a silly promise they had made together- and kept- that they would tell each other in the bluntest possible terms what they were thinking of if it disturbed them. Swallowing down his fear for her he kept the half-hearted-but-so-far-kept promise._

_"Crotalus, my love, what if you are pregnant?" Donovan clung to her as a child might to its mother, or a husband who feared for his wife. He heard her breath whoosh out in a sigh and the too quickly indrawn breath, then the stillness of her body as she thought through his words and what her response would be to them._

_"I don't think so; I've already tried a pregnancy test. It was negative besides Don it feels more like ache in my hands then an ache in my belly." He chuckled and nuzzled his face in her white and black strands of hair, so unlike his own silver locks._

_"Of course my love, you're right..." Donovan murmured soothingly, whether to her or himself he would never know as Cro's hand reached up and she brushed her finger tips along his jaw._

_There wasn't time for shock; Donovan's last memory would be to only remember the look of horror on Cro's face as his steel gray eyes closed forever._

_Unknown to both of them her nails had become fatal and when brushed along his jaw they had reacted as a startled snake might, as uncontrollable nails lurched into his skin and killed him instantly with their new found poisonous venom._

**-Current Time-**

Blinking back her tears Cro drove through the rain to the one place she knew she could find help- the one statuary still left to mutant kind. The Xavier Institute for the Gifted was a _place_ she had only heard of on the news; whose founder- Charles Xavier was a gifted mutant- the most powerful physic in the world, and one of her oldest friends.

* * *

If anyone would take her in, even with her appearance and poisonous nails, it would be Xavier. Cro only prayed she could talk to him before someone else, a well meaning mutant perhaps, spotted her and judged from her appearance that she was the bad guy. It didn't help that many popular religions pegged serpents as evil or tools of evil.

Cro knew human nature too well to think that mutants worked any differently than normal humans when it came to prejudice. Just as humans considered mutants to be horrid, evil 'freaks', the more human appearing mutants were prejudiced against the poor people who happened to look like the proverbial 'mutated freak of nature'. It was something left over from the caveman era and had yet to be fixed. ' _Lucky me, I look like a bastardized snake_ ,' she thought with venomous sarcasm.

She knew her emotions were to be expected- first came grief, then anger and depression, then perhaps acceptance. Cro snorted at the mental lecture she gave herself as she pulled past the gates of the institute and drove to the main entrance. On the top of the stairway stood the man she sought. Charles Xavier, who had probably heard her mental distress, had brought two others- a tall man with brown hair wearing a red visor and a black suit on his right and a similarly dressed woman with flaming red hair on his left.

As she was not dragging her things from the back of her trunk to her room from the garage - when the entrance was closer, she parked her car in front of the stairway.

Cro hesitated as she opened the door, and slid her 8-ft long, diamond-back patterned constrictor tail out first. Judging from the looks on the man and woman's faces Charles hadn't warned them of her appearance when she had called him in a panic.

Charles was a family friend who had helped her mother and father with their mutations, even if he had been younger then them. Then trusting him they had introduced him to Cro, who made her first friend around her age that day.

Cro bent from her 'standing' position of 5'5 to give him a hug, careful to keep her nails away from him and despite his startled expression, he returned the hug.

"Crotalus, I'm so sorry to hear of your husband's demise. You are, of course, welcome to stay here." Charles spoke when Cro released him. Cro briskly rubbed the tears from her eyes and nodded.

She knew without looking that they all had pity in their eyes; she 'smelled' it with the flick of her forked tongue. Cro for the first time in her life didn't mind either way what they pitied, her looks or her recent loss.

"May I introduce my colleagues, Miss Jean Grey and Mister Scott Summers." Jean smiled and held out her hand for Cro to shake. Cro shook her head setting the bead rattles in her hair off startling the couple. How did Cro know they were a couple? Hormones have a scent too. ' _Okay, so being half snake has its perks_ ,' she mentally smirked

"I am afraid I can not chance shaking your hand Ms. Grey; my nails have recently developed venom- death would be instantaneous." Cro spoke in a bland polite tone. It was a tone her mother had drilled into her for phone meetings and dealings. It had no feeling in it. It was perfect for the mask she had formed on the drive over.

"Oh! I see, my apologies Crotalus I hadn't realized- I mean-" Cro waved a hand a small smile trying to tug at her lips. Amused despite herself, Cro felt the urge to reassure the woman- she hadn't meant to offend and that much was obvious by her flustered expression.

"That is quite alright Ms. Grey. Charles I believe I should take my things to my room, if someone would be so kind as to show me to it?" She asked politely but pointedly. Scott and Jean glanced at each other, Charles only smiled, he had expected Cro to be formal, it was the only approach to people she knew.

"Jean will show you to your room, and Scott will take your things up." Xavier allowed a small reassuring smile for Cro when she raised her eyebrow.

Cro had never allowed someone to do something she couldn't do- and, in fact, could probably do better. None the less, she allowed his plan as she nodded curtly and turned her snake eyes to Jean, absentminded flicking her tongue causing Jean to send out her amusement to Charles.Apparently the idea that a 'proper born' woman would stick her tongue out, even if it was to 'see' and 'smell' as her mutation demanded, was vastly amusing for her. Charles made an effort to hide his grin.

Cro was many things but, she had an unusual amount of fun playing a proper lady while being half snake. A fair actress even as a child, Cro had startled many by being so animalistic looking yet acting so lady-like.

"Always keep your opponent enthralled and confused," had been her parent's motto as a child. Cro had loved playing the parts when she was young and this hadn't changed with time.

 _'Charles- begging your pardon. Why is the young man carrying my bags? I can do so easily myself. In fact he looks as if he'd prefer it.'_ Xavier managed to keep a straight face as he followed behind Cro while Jean led her to her room. Cro had not looked behind her but he knew she smelled Scott's sweat and bafflement. Usually the leader of the X-Men had no problems with carrying ladies bags, and there were only four of them. Xavier knew Scott was baffled, Charles's lips quirked minutely while no one was looking.

 _'Packing your weapons among your clothes again my dear?'_ Cro's amusement was like an ocean breeze or a once-in-a-hundred-years blooming flower against his mind. It was refreshing and new- yet tinged with sadness from her lover's death.

Yet, she had come to him for sanctuary and was thinking clearly enough to realize he would help her while making sure she would keep in practice. She was either the most clear thinking sufferer of shock he had met, or her shock had passed quickly during the phone conversation when he had tried to ease Cro's pain and distress by placing a few discreet mental blocks in her mind- _with_ her permission of course.

 _'Of course Charles- expect the unexpected, and always be prepared for anything.'_ Xavier's lips quirked; he knew where that had came from. He had only had the opportunity to meet Donovan a few times in the past.

That young man had always been paranoid about Cro's safety and had had the gall to request a few strip searches that had likely saved her life. It was distressing yet reassuring that his habits had rubbed off on Cro and hadn't died with him.

It was distressing, because she would never be as carefree as she had been- reassuring, in that he wouldn't have to worry about her if she became an X-Man. Xavier knew Cro well enough to know that she desired to help people, even when she herself was in distress and needed to heal.

Xavier had a feeling things were about to get a bit more interesting in the mansion.

* * *

Cro was watching Scott struggle with her things- it was almost painful in a comical way. Cro sighed and glanced around, it was raining outside- and night, so she wasn't surprised not to see anyone out and about.

"Cro, what did the authorities do about Donovan?" Charles asked, curious. Cro tensed, but it was hardly noticeable as she moved, swaying to keep her balance as she 'slithered' beside him.

"I called them, told them he had been bitten by a snake. Stuck around long enough for them to pronounce him dead- they thought it strange I was part-snake but I have it well recorded what my abilities are." Charles nodded; her family had avoided the public but kept records almost religiously of just what -and what not- they could do.

"I pray they never think of a new ability so late in my life, but they are a thick headed lot and all knew Donovan loved me. Why would I kill the only man who ever accepted me?" The last words were bitter, the only tone-change Charles had heard from her since Cro had 'stepped' out of her convertible.

A convertible Charles knew had been modified for Cro by her parents so that she could drive.

It looked normal enough from the outside- save the darkly tinted windows, but even those were usual now-a-days.

The top was usually down- not just in the rain, but whenever Cro drove it. One would never know from looking at it that it was bullet proof, and couldn't be damaged by even armor piercing bullets- in either the windows or the metal body.

Donovan hadn't been the only one who worried about Cro's day-to-day life after all. The seats had been specially designed to hide Cro's tail from side and aerial view. The fuel was not gas but a natural substitute, which gave the convertible more speed and it didn't need to be changed as often as gas either.

It also did away with the fear of it blowing up before Cro could get out.

As if sensing his thoughts Cro looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Then he realized he was in the 'adult' wing, where he would place the teachers for his students, and they were outside a door.

Cro's door of course, but Jean and Scott were waiting for him to give them the okay- Scott looked grateful for the rest though. Xavier nodded and Jean opened the door, the two waited until Cro and Charles were through before going in.

Scott left Cro's things by the bed- where she had waved for him to put them, while Jean watched him with amusement. Xavier nodded a farewell and the two left, supposedly going to their own rooms.

"I see you are doing well." Cro murmured looking around the room- it reminded one of something out of Ancient Greece, largely decorated by tapestries on the walls. Statues of ancient mythological creatures, including a bust of Medusa, from different religions and nations began at each side of the doors- then bookcases filled with books on topics ranging from pre-history to science and fantasy to historical fiction. Between each bookcase was a statue.

"Do you like it? I kept it as much like your old room as I remembered." Charles added seeing her slight smile. Cro nodded moving to examine a few of the books.

Cro was well educated and loved reading, having spent most of her youth in isolation, fearing reactions from peers and that might have locked her up or killed her had she revealed herself as a child instead at twenty with her parents backing.

Cro had only had tutors for the arts and sciences- and business. Her parents with Xavier's encouragements had found fighters- both formal and street to collaborate in learning to use her body as the weapon it was.

Even before the poison claws- the rattles in her hair could alert her to danger far quicker then anything a human had. Her snake eyes could dazzle and hypnotize a person if she looked directly at them for longer then a few seconds.

Although her tail looked cumbersome and useless it's hard plated scales could stop even close range bullets and blades.

It was pure muscle and _heavy_ with the seven feet trailing behind her- she could swipe an opponent off his/her feet; even slam him/her in the side if she was close and send them to the ground.

She was quick too- faster then a fairly athletic man or woman running. If all else failed she could crush a person to death with it, constricting it around them until they suffocated or bone near a vital organ snapped.

She was hairless- and though it looked like skin she was covered in small unnoticeable scales- they were more pronounced around her joints- elbows, fingers and knuckles. But you wouldn't see them unless you were looking for them. Or she was in the sun- her whole body sort of shined in a way abnormal with skin.

The fangs- well he suspected in time those would circulate the poison- only she could control that- with her nails only a brief touch was needed and the poison would harm her victim.

So far she could unhook her jaw and swallow a large cooked chicken. A trick she had showed him once- apparently she didn't _chew-_ and her teeth, while there, were useless as she swallowed all her food.

Another thing was she only ate once or twice a year- on the holidays in the winter and spring, granted she ate a lot- but having no need for eating for the rest of the year made one hungry.

Donovan had found that particularly useful only having to eat once or twice a year made it less likely Cro would be poisoned and when she ate. He had made sure he made the food- and had it was examined before and after he was finished making it and storing it.

Xavier didn't want to think on how badly she was taking Donovan's death. He could only hope that this room, which mimicked her own, would make her fell at home and welcome here.

He had always hoped she would choose to help him, though he hadn't thought she would come to him like this. He knew that Cro would likely sell her home, before Donovan she had complained of too many memories. Now he doubted she could bare it more then to retrieve her treasured belongings- if she did not already have them with her.

"Yes reminds me of home, thank you." It wasn't often Cro said that so he took it to heart. Xavier nodded and left her to unpack, already thinking on ideas to control her new power, perhaps taking a clue from Rogue and making gloves- or gauntlets.

* * *

Cro had finished with the majority of the unpacking.

While Xavier worked out ideas to keep her nails for touching anyone (so far they didn't know how strong they were so Xavier ordered they- meaning gloves, might be made in leather). Leather was tuff, and would hold out against most elements, and hopefully- her nails as well.

Cro had stopped unpacking, to study an enchantingly _familiar_ statue of Medusa. Running her finger along the statues side, and ...remembering... when she had first gotten one, just like it…

**-Flashback, Five Years -**

_Top Gun, or Donovan Murinus, watched the crowd as he flirted aimlessly with a pretty waiter._

_It was Crotalus Atrox's second public appearance in a year. The first had been a party for her parents business, where they had introduced their daughter, twenty-four year old Cro- to the world._

_She had made world -wide news in the first twenty-four hours._

_When no one; other then unimportant people, would comment- and she made no reappearances, the media surrounding her died. But those who wished to destroy them, for being mutants, or just to get rid of her family's business -had remembered, and assassins had been sent._

_Some had made it though security- some had died, not even five feet from their target._

_Donovan had one picture- grimy, and black and white, taken nearly half a year ago. Normally this would be less then acceptable, and he wouldn't take the job -but his target had a hard to miss characteristic; a tail._

_A tail, which was her legs- by far the most_ interesting _mutation Donovan had heard of._

Speck of the devil _, Donovan thought with a smirk, after spotting her sitting beside a bald, and wheel chaired, man. He winked at the boy, and went to give his best wishes to his hostess- and target. The semi-large package on his right arm, distracted most from his supposedly empty left arm- where he hid a thin knife in his wrist cuff._

_The man looked up and frowned slightly- Donovan had done his research. This harmless looking old man was Charles Xavier- a physic. Donovan had no defense to physic's- but he loved a challenge, and Miss Crotalus was most assuredly, a challenge, one he deemed worthy of his talents._

_Donovan put to mind a vague interest and disgust; as he would if he was looking at a bug- dieing by magnifying glass. There were so many people 'celebrating' Cro's twenty-fifth birthday, that the physic would hardly be interested in a only strikingly handsome assassin._

_Until then Donovan had never actually_ seen _his target- as soon as he laid eyes on her, he didn't have to pretend to not want to kill her. She was lovely, and exotic, and_ everything _Donovan had been looking for in a mate._

_"Ah, Miss A-atrox pleased to meet you- this is for you." Donovan couldn't believe he had stuttered!_

_His cheeks felt warm, was he blushing too?_ Unbelievable _! Donovan's thought process skidded to a screeching halt, and his hand shook just the tiniest bit as he gave her the present._

 _She glanced at the physic, and then smiled up at him, he knew he grinned awkwardly back. Then, her hand touched his_ left _hand -and felt the hard blade. Those appealing snake eyes flashed, and her instincts took over. The 'beads' in her hair rattled, and before he knew it- he was on the ground his side wet- he looked down to find his fingers smeared... with blood...his blood..._

_He looked up at her -shocked, and she looked just as shocked at what she had done- what he had almost done._

_'Beautiful…' was his last thought before darkness rolled over him. It went unspoken, but Xavier heard the thoughts of a dieing assassin, and took pity. Cro didn't argue, overwhelmed by grief, and guilt- she hadn't wanted to hurt the man._

_Over the next few weeks, he grew stronger in her care- Xavier hadn't returned since_ _bringing_ _him to her home. During those weeks, he told her everything about his life- he couldn't help but answer her questions when she stared at him._

_He would have anyway- she became his confident, and he grew to love her- for more then just her exotic appearance. Finally, she came to his room with the statue he had given her, a question on her lips._

_"Why did you give me this?" Cro asked him, Top Gun shrugged, and bit his lip._

_"Seemed appropriate at the time- do you hate it?" He was asking more then if she liked his gift- he wanted to know if she hated her mutation. Donovan knew some mutants- most of those who had been affected physically by their mutations- who hated it because of the reactions from people around them._

_"No." Cro said softly, her elbows and arms resting on his bed, her head lying against the side of his chest._

_Donovan swallowed, thinking carefully about what he was going to say. In her presence he had to, or risk doing something silly- or outlandish. She was raised hidden in the world, it seemed to him that while she_ knew _most things- she wouldn't_ understand _some things._

_"Crotalus, I'm almost healed- you know…I've failed to kill you- they'll know, I was wondering- well hoping, I mean, I love you and…" He floundered for words- around her he was tongue tied and an emotional hotwire, keyed to her expressions and emotions._

_Yet he needed to know if she was simply being kind to him- if he was in love with someone ...who didn't love him back._

_"You love me?" Cro whispered- he couldn't see her eyes. She was looking away from him, her expression showed nothing._

_"Yes, I do, do you love me? Will you marry me?" He waited tense, and silent, for her answer. She looked back at him, and smiled- and he_ knew _, she felt some of what he did if not all._

_Still, her eyes told him she still needed to tell him something, so he waited in agony for her to say it._

_"Yes Donovan, I will marry you, but I don't think I can have children…You must promise me two things." Donovan couldn't bare it – the loneliness, and sadness, in her eyes - he gathered her in his arms rocking her, letting her know silently that he loved her._

_"That's alright, I don't mind –" Cro put a finger to hip lips, and Donovan was silenced._

_"First, swear that if I do have children... and I don't make it -you will not blame it on them- and you will raise them." Cro's voice was serious, and he nodded his agreement- swearing silently to never do anything without using protection, she was his treasure now._

_He didn't think- no matter a promise, that he could live without her. Perhaps that would change, if he had something of_ them _to live for- but Donovan somehow knew it wasn't going to be enough._

_"Alright…" Donovan agreed reluctantly, swallowing down his fears._

_"Second- you will give up assassination. You will never kill again unless it is in defense." Donovan's eyes gleamed- their meanings of defense were entirely different- but she didn't know that, and he'd keep his promise to his standards._

_"I agree to both, satisfied my love? Next you will have me promising to tell you everything I fear- no matter the consequences!" Donovan teased, Cro smiled. He hugged her to him, agian, running his fingers through her hair -and past the rattles that had shook, before she had attacked- the only warning he had had -and hadn't understood._

_"I'd like that promise too." Cro murmured against his chest- they both laughed, and when they ceased, Donovan gently tilted her head up to kiss her, gently, and affectionately on the lips._

_"Then that too I promise- if you'll share it." Donovan said with a teasing grin, Cro smiled and nodded. They held each other- neither quite believing their luck in finding each other._

**-End Flashback-**

The memories was so strong, Cro's eyes were teary; she looked at the bottom of the statue, to find the statue had her and Donovan's names engraved on it. Under the words ' _May you always remember us._ ' which had applied to both of them, but took on a new meaning for Cro.

Carrying it back to her bed, she curled around it- sobbing and hugging the statue to her for hours- unaware of the world around her.

She had no idea how much time had passed, and that Xavier, worried- had sent Rogue to get her. Logan, following, encase she might get into trouble, still not trusting these people with Rogue's safety.

It turned out to be a good thing he did follow her.

**Author's Note:**

> Cro (pronounced 'Crow') has parts of the diamond-back rattler (pattern on tail- 'beaded rattlers', and poison nails) and anaconda (constrictor tail- and the fact that she gives birth to live young).
> 
> Anyone curious on name meaning and origins? Well I'm going to tell you even if your not. Crotalus Atrox (Atrox is her maiden name) is the scientific name for the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (one part of her mutant abilities).
> 
> Crotalus comes from the Greek crotalon, meaning a rattle or little bell; atrox comes from the Latin atroc, meaning dark, fierce, hideous or savage.
> 
> Murinus, Donavan's last name is part of Eunectes Murinus, scientific name of the Green Anaconda. Eunectes is Greek for "good swimmer" and Murinus is Latin for "mouse-colored".
> 
> So Crotalus (rattle) Atrox (hideous) Murinus ("mouse colored") was born.


End file.
